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The ongoing Hollywood strike that has largely shut down the entertainment industry will continue for the foreseeable future as SAG-AFTRA announced late Wednesday that the studios have suspended negotiations with the actors union.
“It is with profound disappointment that we report the industry CEOs have walked away from the bargaining table after refusing to counter our latest offer,” SAG-AFTRA told members Wednesday.
“We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began. These companies refuse to protect performers from being replaced by AI, they refuse to increase your wages to keep up with inflation, and they refuse to share a tiny portion of the immense revenue YOUR work generates for them.”
The actors union also accused studio negotiators of “bully tactics” and “misrepresenting” the cost of the actors union’s offer to the press; SAG-AFTRA says they proposed a deal that would essentially cost the studios only 57 cents per subscriber a year.
Additional standstills revolve around artificial intelligence, where studios continue to “demand ‘consent’ on the first day of employment for use of a performer’s digital replica for an entire cinematic universe (or any franchise project).”
“The companies are using the same failed strategy they tried to inflict on the WGA – putting out misleading information in an attempt to fool our members into abandoning our solidarity and putting pressure on our negotiators,” the actors union continued. “But, just like the writers, our members are smarter than that and will not be fooled.”
In a statement to Variety, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said of the stalled negotiations, “After meaningful conversations, it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction. We hope that SAG-AFTRA will reconsider and return to productive negotiations soon.”
The film and television business had largely ground to a near-halt since May when the writers union went on strike, followed a few months later by the actors, resulting in an industry-crippling double strike. While the writers union finally reached a deal with the studios in earlier this month — which allowed for late-night and daytime shows to resume production — Hollywood films and television series remain on pause without the actors.
“Our resolve is unwavering,” the SAG-AFTRA statement said Thursday. “Join us on picket lines and at solidarity events around the country and let your voices be heard.”
